Point Douglas Ward, Councillor Mike Pagtakhan hosted a career fair at Sisler High School where potential job seekers were able to meet with 33
potential employers. Photo by Jogin Tamayo | Filipino Journal.

2014 Corolla CE (BURCEMA)/2014 RAV4 LE FWD (ZFREVTA) for 60 months. 20,000 km lease at 1.9%/4.9% O.A.C. $0.10/km overage charge. Lease end value is $7446.902/$10858.50. Payment reflects $0/$2,999 down payment or equivalent trade. All prices are based on the MSRP which does not include Freight and PDI ($1,690), Air Conditioning charge of $100, license,
insurance, registration, applicable taxes, levies and other fees.

rganized by the amiable
city councillor Mike
Pagtakhan, the career
job fair attracted over 1,200 job
seekers and 33 participating
exhibitors including City of
Winnipeg, Winnipeg Transit, the
RCMP, the Immigrant Centre,
Volunteer Manitoba, Manitoba
Hydro, University of Manitoba
and Red River College among
others.
“We were surprised at the
turn-out of job seekers here who
were already present even before
we could open the venue,” said an
elated Pagtakhan who has already
set another event this fall.
The April 26 edition featured
careers in trucking, manufacturing
and post-secondary institutions.
Pagtakhan added the September

job fair will offer opportunities
in health care, industrial and
agricultural. “I’m also promoting
opportunities in the agricultural
and food sciences and trades
as options for our youth,’ said
Pagtakhan who was on hand to
greet visitors.
We would like to encourage
interested exhibitors to the next

job fair and may contact the city
councillor any time at 204-9868402.
Those that missed out on the
recent April 26 Career Fair need
not fret as another opportunity
for job seekers and future
entrepreneurs has been slated this
coming September 2014.

upreme National Founder
(SNF) Dennis Castaneda
delivered his One Year
of Accomplishments Report as
National
President/Chairman.
He shared that PCGBI was
formally established on April 14,
2013 at Lincoln Motor Hotel in
Winnipeg through the election of
14 national founding officers with
the common purpose of helping
fellow members and their families
in Canada.
He also mentioned that
PCGBI has 150 strong members
which was initially formed in
Winnipeg, then in Neepawa,
Steinbach, and recently in Toronto.
In just a year, it has actively
participated and supported various
Filipino-Canadian
socio-civic,
heritage and cultural activities
such as the 2nd Manitoba Street
Festival, Philippine Heritage
Week celebration, Philippine
Consular Outreach Programs,
and Philippine-Canadian Tourism
projects, as well PCGBI’s
membership
growth
and
development programs.
Sworn into office as national
founding officers of PCGBI are:
Faustino Dennis “SNFSRMG
Kalo”
Castaneda,
National
President/Chairman;
Michael
“NFSGF Brisk” Kimmayong,
National VP for Operations;
Justino “NFSRMG Tinie” Dalog,
National VP for Administration;
Ernesto “NFSRMG Lim” Ofiaza
Jr., National Secretary-General;
Nilo
“NFSRMG
3Kings”
Muncal, National Treasurer;
Bernard “NFSRMG Bergie”
Banaga,
National
Auditor;
Joselito
“NFGBF
Bumbo”
Culanag, National Business
Manager; Wilfredo “NFSRMG
Willy” Openiano Jr., National

AdviCe For reAl liFe
We are here to help you make informed choices,
by offering you honest and straightforward
financial advice based completely on your
needs. We call it advice for real life, and it starts
with your life.
› Investments
› RRIFs / TFSAs /Annuties
› GICs
› Mortgage referrals
› Group benefits
› Financial planning
› Retirement planning

or one week, the newly launched
"Water: Reflection on Thirst, Thanks
and Truth", an anthology of short stories
by eight Canadian writers is the best seller list
in Winnipeg under the category of Paperback
Fiction, edging out even the most popular
book,"Orenda", the current CBC Read of the
Year.
The anthology, penned by eight Canadians
writers, known as Writers Unblocked, including
the publisher and founder of the Filipino
Journal, Rod Escobar Cantiveros who wrote
"Faces With Soft Edges", as one of the short
stories, has been acclaimed as one of the best
read ever written by the eight writers.
"I am humbled by the warm response
from our readers and I want to share this
honor with my family especially to my late
wife,Linda, and my two sons,Ron and John, my
relatives and to my family friends who came
to witness the launching of the book," Rod E.

More photos available on FilipinoJournal.com and

Cantiveros said. Cantiveros has been writing
since his school days in the Philippines when
he started writing in Liwayway,in various
comic series and magazines and being a
journalist after graduating journalism at the
Pontifical University of Santo Tomas in the
early 60's. To date, Rod has been working on
"Yzabel: Comfort Woman" and "J" (Jewish
Refugees in Manila in the late 30's and during
the 2nd world war), both are historical plays on
human rights issues scheduled to be presented
to coincide with the opening of the Canadian
Museum for Human Rights in September.
Other members of Writers Unblocked
quiped: Linda Romanetz: "All smiles
all
week.";
Barb
King:
"Congrats!
Enjoy the limelight."; Kathy French:
"Supercalifregilisticexpiadocious!"; Eleanor
Chornoboy: "Hot Dog"; Les Rankin: "Yea
Team."; Marjorie Anderson, author and
mentor: "Bravo Writers Unblocked- you have

Filipino journal facebook page

COMING SOON TO WATERFORD GREEN
JUST NORTH OF MEADOWS WEST IN WINNIPEG

now had ALL the experiences of renowned
authors, right up to #1 on the best seller list.";
Tris Loewen, editor: "What wonderful news!"
The eight Canadian writers are Rod E.
Cantiveros, Roselea Young, Linda Romanetz,
Les Rankin, Barbara King, Kathy French,
Nancy Clendenan and Eleanor Chornoboy. The
anthology is edited by Marjorie Anderson with
the assistance of Trish Loewen.
The cover design is rendered by the
Filipino Journal. Printed in Canada at McNally
Robinson Booksellers' EBM.
The anthology is a collection with a
wide range in focus and tone: from seriously
dramatic (Black Island, Thirst) to personally
poignant (Faces with Soft Edges, Safe Harbour,
Watercolour), to philosophical (A Little
Garden, Acceptance) to humorous (A Water
Fantasy)." All demonstrate how a single word
can unlock a flood of associations that flow
beautifully into storytelling," writes Marjorie
Anderson, author and mentor.
And who will not miss the first anthology
of Writers Unblocked when Marjorie Anderson
writes the first line of her foreword: "Spring is
the season for the release of stories locked up
in ice crystals floating in the air."
Water: Reflections onThirst, Thanks
and Truth is available at McNally Robinson
Booksellers,1120 Grant Avenue. wwww.
mcnallyrobinson.com

The X5 came equipped
with 3.0-liter BMW TwinPower
Turbo inline 6-cylinder with 300
horsepower and 300 ft.lbs torque and
BMW’s xDrive, intelligent all-wheel
drive system. Lots of power, and a
SUV that drives like a sports sedan.

The X5 also offers two other engine the Premium Package ($5,500), the upgraded Bang & Olufsen audio
options – 3.0L 6-cyclinder diesel or Technology Package ($3,800), BMW package ($4,900).
if you wanted ultimate power, there’s ConnectedDrive Services ($850) and
the 4.4L V8 Twin Turbo option.
The X5 offered several driving
modes such as ECO Pro, Sport and
Sport+Comfort all providing different
driving dynamics. As much as I loved
driving the 6-cylinder model, I'm sure
ripping around in X5 with the 4.4L
V8 would a lot more thrilling and
exciting.
The X5 media test vehicle
included the Premium and Technology
Packages. Highlights of the features
included in the packages are heated
rear seats, auto 4-zone climate control,
SurroundView, Head-Up Display, and
Active LED headlights.
Base MSRP of the 2014
X5 is $62,900. Price of the test
vehicle is $77,950 which includes Interior front driver/passenger cabin featuring Black Dakota Leather option.

2014 BMX X5 35i in Mineral White Metallic.

Photos by Ron Cantiveros | Filipino Journal

My Ride
Ron Cantiveros

ron@filipinojournal.com

2014 BMW X5 35i

X5 hits the sweet spot

I

t felt like Christmas every
morning as I walked towards
the 2014 BMW X5. Even with
the snow fall warnings last month, it
really didn’t matter. The X5 driving
experience made me forget that
we’re still stuck in winter. The heated
steering wheel, heated seats and
overall comfort made the X5 such a
pleasure to drive.
The new 3rd generation BMW
X5 is more elegant all around. The
exterior is sleek, stylish and several
enhancements to improve driving
aerodynamics and fuel efficiency.
One of the changes includes greater
use of aluminum and overall weight
reduction of 200lbs.
The interior of the X5 is what
you would expect in a $70k luxury
SUV. Sitting in the driver’s seat is
extremely comfortable, so much so
that I could easily spend a full day
driving on a road trip. The use of
high quality leather throughout the
interior is pleasing to the overall
driving experience. The 10.2” NAV
touch screen reminds me of an iPad
mini mounted in the middle of the
dashboard.
The $4,900 optional Bang &
Olufsen audio package was also a
treat to experience. This would be
great for pumping up the tunes on the
next camping trip, or long drive.

“I just want to lay everything out
on the table to see how far I can
get.” says Justin Liwanag.
The Reebok CrossFit Open
began late February with over
2,400 competitors in the men’s
individual division — Justin
outlasted most, ranking 28th out
of 48 selected to compete at the
CrossFit Regionals beginning in
May.
“It was a big decision for me
to compete individually,“ says

Justin. “If you mess up, you have
nobody to blame but yourself.”
Last year, Justin was ranked
65th and missed out on competing
in the Regionals.
Since then, Justin has been
training and coaching CrossFit at
Undefeated CrossFit — a “box”
as he likes to call it, located on
Waverley Street.
This year, he’s not only
competing to win, but so is his
brother Jessie.

“Undefeated CrossFit is
the only team in Manitoba who
are going to the Regionals,”
says Jessie. “I think it’s great
to be competing with a team, I
don’t think I’d want to be in my
brother’s place because of all the
pressure.”
Jessie is competing with
seven other members from
Undefeated CrossFit located on
Waverely Street.

“For me, competing with
a team is just like being in
another class at the box,” says
Jessie. “There are seven other
competitors there excited for you,
and they support you no matter
what.”
While there is excitement
at the box surrounding the
competition, each competitor
is responsible for expenses to
make the trip, including flights
and hotel accomodation. As an
individual competitor, Justin
has a $200 registration fee at the
competition. Jessie, along with
his seven team members will pay
a $400 registration fee.
If you are interested in
donating to the CrossFit team and
Justin as an individual competitor,

All photos & articles available online!

FilipinoJournal. com

visit
http://www.gofundme.
com/8cvn6g to donate.
Any amount is greatly
appreciated.
According to its website, The
CrossFit Games is known as “The
Test of Fitness.”
The CrossFit Games aim
to find the fittest on Earth.
Justin, along with Jessie and his
teammates are one stage away
from qualifying for the CrossFit
Games.
The Games — the final stage
in the 2014 Reebok CrossFit
Games — begin late July. From
over thousands of competitors
in the Open, to only hundreds
in the Games. The Games will
determine the fittest man, the
fittest woman, and the fittest team.

May 5-20, 2014

The Pulse of the Filipino Community since 1987

by Dr. Eusebio Koh

The Philippine Pledge
of Allegiance

R

ecently, I received an
email from my good
friend and the husband
of my wife’s cousin Andy from
Bulacan which contained nothing
but the following:

It is the Pledge of Allegiance in
Tagalog. He knows I love the
Old Country even though I have
resided away all these years.
Here is my translation (patawarin
niyo ako kung hindi tugma.):

I love the Philippines.
This is the land of my birth.
This is the home of my people.
She nurtures and helps me
to be happy, strong and useful.
In return, I shall listen to the
advice of my parents,
I shall follow the regulations of
my school.
I shall fulfill the duties of a
patriotic and law-abiding citizen.
I shall serve my country without
envy and with complete loyalty.
I shall strive to be a true Filipino
in thought, in deeds and in word.

I was scratching my head and
was wondering what gives. Have
I not been a good Pinoy? Yes,
I took up Canadian citizenship
many decades ago after I accepted
the assistant professorship at the
university in Regina. That was
my livelihood and I decided to
teach my Canadian students as
a Canadian. But I truly love the
Philippines and it shows from my
speech, my writing, my behavior,
my taste, my culture. (Dual
citizenship was not yet in vogue.)
I read the email once, twice, a few
times and of course I recognized
it as something I learned in my
Tagalog class in Arellano High
School some sixty five years ago.

The wording in the original
Tagalog is so sweet and heartwarming that I decided to send
it to my email friends, most of
whom are Filipino senior citizens
like myself residing in Canada or
the U. S. My email friend Virgilio
Gonzales from Connecticut
recognized it immediately as the
Philippine pledge of allegiance.
Another thought it was a Boy
Scout Pledge he learned in grade
school. A third thought I was
sending them another product
of my poetic bent. I told this
friend that I wish I can write this
beautifully.
But more than the wish to
have written it is the wish that
every Filipino, especially one
who aspires to be elected to
office in the Philippines, lives
up to the pledge. It is a blessing
and a wonderful opportunity

Let's get social

to serve one’s homeland if
elected but unfortunately even
the very intelligent and popular
succumbed to the lure of the lucre
and the corrupting power. Thus,
the poor Philippines gets corrupt
politicians election after election.
Some would say that
our manner of government
is inherited from the colonial
powers that ruled the Philippines:
Spain for three hundred thirty
three years, the United States for
forty some years and Japan for
three. Indeed, corruption and
mismanagement were not started
in the Philippines. Greed and
dishonesty are common human
failings, more so when one can
get away with them.
Some would recall the
famous remark of President
Manuel L. Quezon, "I would
rather have a country run like hell
by Filipinos than a country run
like heaven by the Americans.”
And of course, hell is the proper
place where the shameless thieves
flourish.
The Pledge of Allegiance
should be a required reading and
memorization for every Filipino
child. It expresses the innate
patriotism of a Filipino and the
true character and duties of a
citizen. It is a reminder of what
true service to one’s country
really means.
Compare that to the Canadian
Oath of Allegiance which goes
like this: “I do swear that I will be
faithful and bear true allegiance
to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth
the Second, Queen of Canada,
Her Heirs and Successors. So
help me God.” Recently, certain
Canadians have proposed to
replace the Queen with simply
Canada.
Or to the American Pledge of
Allegiance: "I pledge allegiance
to the flag of the United States of
America, and to the republic for
which it stands, one nation under
God, indivisible, with liberty and
justice for all." It is symbolic and
sometimes the signals are lost in
real life.
Aren’t
we
meticulous,
delineating the nitty gritty parts of
what our love for the Philippines
mean?

FilipinoJournal. com

9

10

The Pulse of the Filipino Community since 1987

by aLfie vera mella
elfideas102@yahoo.com

The Music Never
Really Ends
(On My Recommended Albums
through the Decades)
Part Four: 1990s

I

We are proud to say that we have been doing specialized parties for the
Filipino Community for close to �� years. We also do customized menus
for Banquets, Catering, Birthdays, Christenings, and Anniversaries!

started this series with my top
favorite albums from the 1960s,
the 1970s, and then the 1980s.
Now we continue on to the next
decade.
Having developed the fancy
for elaborate music genres like Art
Rock and Baroque Pop of the 1960s
(the likes of The Beatles, David
Bowie, and The Moody Blues),
Progressive Rock and Post-punk of
the 1970s (Caravan,
Rush,
Television),
and New Wave of
the 1980s (Depeche
Mode, Echo & the
Bunnymen,
Tears
for Fears), in the
1990s I naturally
gravitated to bands/
artists regarded as
Alternative
Rock
or Britpop—which
may be considered
offshoots
or
extensions of such
genres.
I was always looking for that
trademark sound—angular rhythm
guitars, melodic bass lines and
lead-guitar lines, synthesizers and
keyboards, structured drum patterns,
and low-register or brooding vocal
styles. The following albums are
the top 13 representatives from the
1990s of the kind of music that
became my most favorite.
Toad the Wet Sprocket (USA) fear (1991)
This
album
was
what
catapulted the band to commercial
popularity. This was one of the
albums that soundtracked many
of my memories from that decade.
Recommended songs: “All I Want,”
“Walk on the Ocean,” “I Will Not
Take These Things for Granted.”
Gin Blossoms (USA) - New
Miserable Experience (1992)

Filipino Journal
Ron Cantiveros
Publisher

aLfie vera mella
Associate Editor

Rod Escobar Cantiveros
Sales & Advertising

Rosalinda Linsangan Natividad-Cantiveros

Founder, Publisher & Editor-in-Chief- Filipino Journal
1987-2008

Each of the albums of this band
may be regarded as a no-filler killer,
and this was where it started. “Hey
Jealousy,” “Until I Fall Away,”
“Found Out about You.”
The Lemonheads (USA) - It’s a
Shame about Ray (1992)
If all the albums of this band
were bags of candies, then this one
would be full of gummies and jelly
beans. “Confetti,” “Rudderless,”
“Kitchen.”

Shelleyan Orphan
(England) - Humroot
(1992)
A must-have for serious
Alternative Rock enthusiasts,
featuring orchestral elements and
former members of The Cure.
“Muddied-Up,” “Burst,” “Little
Death.”
Sloan (Canada) - Smeared (1992)
The first album of one of
Canada’s best contributions to
the Alternative Rock scene. “I
Am the Cancer,” “500 Up,”
“Underwhelmed.”
Spent Poets (USA) - Spent Poets
(1992)
Another must-have obscurity
that harked to the Baroque Pop and
Art Rock of the previous decades.
“My Useless Heart,” “Your

May 5-20, 2014

Existential Past,” “Walt Whitman’s
Beard.”
Vanilla Trainwreck (USA) Sounding to Try like You (1992)
An obscurity that focused on
angular and spiral guitar rhythms
and melodies. “Waint,” “Yellow,”
“Jet.”
The Posies (USA) - Frosting on the
Beater (1993)
Almost Grunge, but the
melodic quality of the guitar tracks
and the songs themselves made it
more New Wave–sounding. “Dream
All Day,” “Solar Sister,” “Flavor of
the Month.”
Barenaked Ladies (Canada) Maybe You Should Drive (1994)
The second album of another
Canadian Alternative Rock gem.
“Alternative Girlfriend,” “Jane,”
“Everything Old Is New Again.”
The Lightning Seeds (England) Jollification (1994)
The strawberry-sweet third
album of one of the purveyors of
English New Wave in the 1990s.
“Lucky
You,”
“Marvellous,”
“Perfect.”
Blur (England) - The Great Escape
(1995)
The flag waver of Britpop
in the 1990s. “Country House,”
“Charmless Man,” “The Universal.”
The Boo Radleys (England) Wake Up! (1995)
Britpop at its most complexstructured, multi-instrumented,
and well-orchestrated. “Wake
Up Boo!”, “It’s Lulu,” “Find the
Answer Within.”
Popsicle (Sweden) - Popsicle
(1996)
Who said that New
Wave bands may be found
only in the U.K. and the
USA? “Good with Us,” “Not
Forever,” “Please Don’t Ask.“
Final Note
I don’t buy the claim that
this or that decade was the best
time in music. As a passionate
music enthusiast, I could easily
pick great bands and albums from
different genres from any given
decade. Luckily, I could extend
my being an openminded person
even to music. I enjoy listening to it
without prejudice, but this does not
mean that my musical taste is bland
or undiscerning. I know if a band or
a song is simple or complex, if the
members are virtuosic or mediocre,
or if a song is well-written or not;
but these factors don’t really matter
anyway, for different songs evoke
different reactions or emotions from
different listeners. For that, I could
see the beauty in every piece of
music regardless if it’s a challenging
one-and-a-half-hour symphony or a
typical three-minute Pop song.

We welcome submissions-news, articles, pictures and letters. Letters must include signature and phone
number; names can be withheld upon request. We reserve the right to edit for length and content. All
submissions, unless arrangements are made, become the property of the publisher. Reproduction of contents,
in whole or in part, is strictly prohibited without the expressed written permission from the Publisher/
Editor. Opinions by columnist, writers, and readers do not in any way reflect those of the Publisher/Editor.

United States, President Barack
Obama in his remarks during
the state dinner in his honor
in Malacañang, said America
is inspired by the Filipinos’
resilience and determination after
being affected by super typhoon
“Yolanda” (international name
Haiyan) last year.
The visiting US leader, on
the last leg of his four-nation
Asian visit which brought him to

Japan, South Korea and Malaysia,
said Americans grieve from the
devastation of deadly tornadoes
that ripped through central and
southern United States Sunday,
killing at least 17 people. He added
that America draw their strength
from the Philippine example of
caring for their fellow countrymen.
Earlier in a joint press
conference with President Benigno
S. Aquino III in Malacañang

Aguinaldo hours before the arrival
of US President Barack Obama.
The landmark deal allows
expanded US military presence
on Filipino territory to promote

Let's get social

11

No pay hike for government workers

Monday, Obama assured the
Philippines of his government’s
commitment to support the
country’s rehabilitation efforts of
Yolanda-devastated areas.
The
US
humanitarian
assistance to the Philippines already
amounted to almost US$60 million.
This includes US$30 million from
USAID and US$21.857 million
from the US Department of
Defense.

A

few days before the Labor
Day celebration on May 1,
President Benigno S. Aquino III has
already rejected the proposed salary
increase for 1.6 million employees
of the government.
Citing limited resources as
main reason, Aquino explained to

peace and security in the region
and brings the bilateral security
relations between the two countries
to a new and higher level.
Goldberg said the signing of
the agreement was the result of
eight rounds of negotiations in as
many months and concluded just
hours before Obama and Philippine
President Aquino meet to mark a
new stage in US-Philippine. He
went on to say that the agreement
will not pave the way to permanent
US military presence and the
reopening their military bases in the
country.
The US envoy stressed that the
US-Philippines alliance is the oldest
of five treaty alliances in Asia,
while the US-Philippines Mutual
Defense Treaty which was signed
in 1951, contributed to the security
and stability of the region for the
last six decades.

FilipinoJournal. com

representatives of labor groups in
Malacañang that another increase
might affect the government’s
financial standing.
He added that the government
recently completed the final tranche
of the pay hike for the state workers
under the Salary Standardization
Law III.

Oo, marami rin namaing
pagkakataon na nadadapa ang
isang anak, pero bilang magulang
e dapat handa ang isang ina o ama
na intindihin at mahalin ang anak
sa kabila ng mga pagkukulang
nito. Higit sa lahat, ang magulang
ang dapat na unang poprotekta
sa kanyang anak imbes na
maglalagay rito sa alanganin
o ipagkakalat sa iba ang mga
kahinaan nito.
Familial Bond Is the
Strongest
The strongest emotional
bond should be that between
parents and their children. That's
why I feel sad and disappointed
whenever I see or hear of parents
who break the hearts of their own
children; or the other way around,
children who break the hearts of
their parents.
But then again, the dynamics
of familial relationships is
powered by various factors. They
could be really complicated.
But in spite of this, family
members should learn how to
practice mutual respect amidst
disagreements.
I'm just glad that I came
from a family who, despite

Welcoming a record number of
visitors from the Philippines in 2013
Canada’s
Citizenship
and
Immigration Minister Chris
Alexander
announced
that
Canada issued more than 47,000
visitor visas to Filipino visitors
in 2013. This figure represents
a record high for the Philippines
and a 57 percent increase since
2006.
In 2013, nearly 30,000
Filipino
citizens
became
permanent residents of Canada
ranking the Philippines as third
in the top source countries for
immigration to Canada.
The
government’s
improvements to Canada’s
immigration system are helping
to facilitate legitimate tourism
as well as immigration of
those from the Philippines to
Canada, strengthening economic
prosperity and growth across

All photos & articles available online!

our country. Visitors to Canada
benefit from the Multiple Entry
Visa (MEV), which allows
qualified visitors to come and
go from Canada for six months
at a time for up to 10 years.
MEVs are a fast, flexible and
convenient option for frequent
visitors to Canada.
Quick facts
•More than 650,000 Canadian
residents can trace their ancestry
to the Philippines, and now a
growing number of Filipino
citizens are able to visit family
and friends in Canada, study
at Canadian colleges and
universities, or immigrate to
Canada as permanent residents.
•Since 2006, Canada has enjoyed
the highest sustained levels
of immigration in Canadian
history-an average of more than

FilipinoJournal. com

a quarter of a million newcomers
each year.
•The number of visitors
visas issued to Filipino visitors
has grown by six percent since
2012.
•Since its introduction in July
2011, more than one million 10year MEVs have been issued to
visitors around the world.
Quote
“In 2013, Canada saw a
record number of visitor visas
issued to individuals from the
Philippines. Our government
remains committed to attracting
visitors, students as well as
workers who can help contribute
to the Canadian economy and
labour market.”
Chris Alexander, Canada’s
Citizenship and Immigration
Minister

May 5-20, 2014

Advincula and Javate nominated for 2014
YMCA-YWCA Women of Distinction Award
Voluntarism, Advocacy, and Community Enhancement Award Nominees
Roselyn Advincula and Perla
Javate are among 56 women
nominate in this year's YMCAYWCA Women of Distinction
Awards. The YMCA-YWCA of
Winnipeg is set to honour and
recognize the many amazing and
diverse contributions of women
at its 38th annual Women of
Distinction Awards Gala on May
7.
The 56 women are nominated
in 13 categories including;

Memorial Award of Promise and
the Prairie Award of Promise. The
two Awards of Promise recipients
will receive a $2,000 scholarship.
The YMCA-YWCA Women
of Distinction Awards have
a rich history of recognizing
Manitoba’s women and their many
accomplishments. The awards
began in Winnipeg in 1977,
and are now held in a variety of
communities across the country.

Roselyn Advincula

Roselyn Advincula came to
Canada with her family from
Philippines in 2008 and quickly
began to impact a lot of women
and families in the community.
Currently the Coordinator for
the Neighbourhood Immigrant

Settlement Program and a
volunteer/co-founder
for
a grassroots group named
Filipino Women’s initiative, her
mentorship assisted settlement
workers, women, and families
find new opportunities.
She
assists many people despite the

fact that she is also still adjusting
in Canada. A social worker in the
Philippines, she got accredited
by the Canadian Association of
Social Workers and has guided
other internationally educated
social workers on getting their
accreditation. Roselyn has been
involved with many projects
such as developing a Newcomer
Support Circle program at the
Immigrant Centre. She was also
able to find funding to run Wiggle,
Giggle, and Munch, a program
that has been very successful in
providing literacy to families.
She also ran a livelihood skills
training program for unemployed
and underemployed community
members with the support of
Neighbourhoods Alive. Roselyn
is now an inspiration for many
newcomers who are reaching
for their dreams not only by
the example she sets but from
the friendships and strong
relationships she has built with
everyone around her.

As President of the Philippine
Heritage Council of Manitoba,
Perla Javate works to preserve,
promote and maintain Philippine
culture. Under her leadership,
the non-profit group became a

13

The Pulse of the Filipino Community since 1987

current Filipino Community
Liaison Officer, providing open
support to newcomer students
and their families. With a
vision to empower students and
parents through mentorship and
having mastered the process
of integrating newcomers into
Canadian culture by creating a
welcoming atmosphere, she is
now the person that everyone
accesses for guidance. Winner
of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee
Medal and the Queen’s Golden
Jubilee Medal in recognition
of her contribution to peers,
community and Canada. Perla
continues her broad contributions
to the Winnipeg and Filipino
community
by
imbuing
confidence and poise in her
students and their families, who
in turn pass along their knowledge
and become mentors themselves.

FilipinoJournal. com

12:00noon

14

May 5-20, 2014

The Pulse of the Filipino Community since 1987

Copenhagen, world's most liveable city
by Gem and Lita Anis

Top City for Cyclists

Gem & Lita with the Little Mermaid

I

n Copenhagen, Denmark you'll
never run out of places to
discover and explore quickly
and safely. It is a city for everyone!
A quality of life survey conducted
by the British lifestyle magazine,

the Monocle, declared Copenhagen
as the "world's most liveable city".
In the heart of the metropolis
is one of Copenhagen's greatest
attractions
receiving
some
5,000,000 visitors a year, the Tivoli
Gardens, the first carbon-neutral
theme and amusement park in the
universe (by powering the park
with an offshore turbine). Founded
in 1843, the 21-acre magical park
quite popular with the young and
old alike, is beautifully landscaped
with fountains, flower beds and
shady trees and has many cafes and
restaurants. The park is best known
for its wooden roller coaster and
the world's tallest carousel, the
Star Flyer. Also inside the garderns
are the stately Nimb Palace with

its Moorish-style facade sporting
magnificent towers and minarets,
the Chinese Tower, Glass House
Tower, the Concert Hall for live
music, the Pantomime Theatre
(Plaenen), and the Tivoli Castle.
A short walking distance
from Tivoli Gardens is Stroget, the
longest pedestrian (car-free zone)
street in Europe most famous for
shopping from H & M, Vero Moda
or Zara to big international brand
like Mulberry, Max Mara, Louis
Vuitton, Prada, or Gucci.
Definitely worth a visit if
you are looking for a unique
experience or something different
off the beaten path is the "Freetown
of Christiania" located on the
eastern side of Christianshavn
borough. "Christiania" is a selfproclaimed autonomous residential
neighbourhood of about 1,000
residents similar to a large
commune established in 1971
regulated by a special law. It has
its own administrator, its own local
rules and currency, its own flag, and
means of transport. In reality, it is a
city within a city. The place used to
be an abandoned military barracks.
No cars are allowed in its narrow
streets with a few cafes and areas to
sit and eat, homemade houses and
buildings. Most walls are covered
with art and graffiti. You seem
to be completely in a different
world! The scent of cannabis is in
the air when you walk through the
famous Pusher Street, its Green
Light district, where you can buy
from stands hash and marijuana
but hard drugs are illegal.Taking

All photos & articles available online!

photographs is strictly prohibited
and no running (except for dogs),
no rocket badges, no weapons, and
no violence.
However, the most famous
landmark and a "must-see" in
Copenhagen is the iconic bronze
statue of the "Little Mermaid"
gracefully sitting on a rock since
1913 (she turns 100 years old last
23 August 2013) by the waterside
at the Langelinie promenade and
pondering over the humans to
whom she dreamt of belonging.
The Statue of the Little Mermaid,
a gift to the Danish capital by
the charitable beer brewer, Carl
Jacobsen of the famous Calsberg
Breweries and created by artistsculptor Edvard Eriksen, is to
Copenhagen what the Statue of
Liberty is to New York or the Eiffel
Tower is to Paris or Manneken
Pis is to Brussels or Big Ben to
London! The story of the Little
Mermaid is based on the writer
Hans Christian Andersen's fairy
tale, a sad story of the mermaid
who sacrifised her own happiness
to save a prince from drowning and

falls in love with him. The statue,
4.1 ft. in height, is half human and
half fish with her bare breasts and
fish tail.
There is no other place
on earth where cycling is a
dominating feature of the cityscape
than in Copenhagen. Officially,
Copenhagen is voted as "the
first best city in the world for
cyclists". The Copenhageners who
considered themselves as "modest,
good-natured, hardworking, and
peaceful" cycle a total of 1.2 million
kms. everyday along the 390 kms.
of designated bike lanes. About
40% of the capital's population of
1,967,727 commute to work by
bicycle everyday! As a tourist you
can explore central Copenhagen
by city bike almost for free - all
you need is 20 krone (1 krone =
O.21 $CAD) and you'll have your
own bike with a built-in map for
sightseeing. Once you're done all
you have to do is return the bike by
leaving it at one of the stands to get
your money back. Awesome!
This concludes our tour of the
wonderful city of Copenhagen!

The Filipino Journal is published twice a month
in Winnipeg. We are committed to help you
attain your marketing, sales, and company
objectives. Your company advertisement in our
newspaper will surely appeal to 50,000
Filipino’s and Canadian readers. Advertisers
can expect to get their message to its readers
and consumers in this area. People read the
Filipino Journal because of its very informative
news, entertainment sections and useful
everyday information on living in Canada.

Filipino Journal is the no.1 Filipino-Canadian
Newspaper in Alberta that published 10,000
copies once a month. We are the largest and
fastest growing Filipino-Canadian newspaper,
with 70,000 Filipino’s and Canadian readers.
With a unique message that will attract
readers and consumers. Advertising your
products and services is one of the most
strategic business decisions you can make.

Call 888-489-8894

info@FilipinoJournal.com

www.FilipinoJournal.com

Filipino Journal
SOCIAL MEDIA SERVICES

Social media marketing brings your company to the fastest growing networking hubs on the Internet.
We can help you reach out to, collaborate with, and market effectively to targeted audiences in their on-line haunts.
Social Media Marketing services include:
Social Media Strategy - finding your potential clients on-line and figuring out how to reach them.
Corporate Facebook Pages â&#x20AC;&#x201C; building and managing effective Facebook presences;
Twitter Services â&#x20AC;&#x201C; using Twitter the right way.
Our social media marketing services can:
*
*
*
*
*
*
*

Facebook, MySpace, Flickr and YouTube get millions of visitors daily. Tap into this vital social phenomenon and reach
a vast new audience, contact the Filipino Journal today to find out how.

FJ

Ron Cantiveros
(204) 489-8894
ron@FilipinoJournal.com

16

The Pulse of the Filipino Community since 1987

All photos & articles available online!

FilipinoJournal. com

May 5-20, 2014

May 5-20, 2014

The Pulse of the Filipino Community since 1987

17

Community Leader Planning Future Kidney Health
Awareness event for Filipino Community
Jon Reyes, pictured here
third from the left, is currently
a Board of Director with the
Kidney Foundation of Canada Manitoba Branch. Research has
shown that kidney disease is a
big concern amongst Filipinos
and most people may not have
symptoms until their kidney
disease is advanced. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I want to
give back to the community by
organizing and holding an event
to raise the awareness about
kidney disease and what people
can do to best prevent it through

Let's get social

FilipinoJournal. com

diet, exercise and lifestyle.
I know a lot of close friends
who have had family members
on dialysis or who have
succumbed to kidney disease,â&#x20AC;?
says the current President of
the Manitoba Filipino Business
Council. Reyes plans to build a
team to organize the event and
hopes to have it come to fruition
later this year. If you would like
to volunteer for this event to
raise Kidney Health awareness,
please email Jon at president@
mfbc.ca.

18

The Pulse of the Filipino Community since 1987

May 5-20, 2014

Basketball Manitoba Hands out Annual Awards:
Joseph Medrano named Player of the Year
by Derick Ramos

Last month, the Manitoba High
School Athletic Association capped
off another basketball season with
their AAAA Provincial tournament
and now Basketball Manitoba has
handed out their yearly awards. It
was another successful year for
Filipinos as four players and one
coach were recognized for their
successful seasons.
Denzel Soliven of the Sisler
Spartans was named to the All
Manitoban Men’s team along with
Garden City Gopher, Byron Oduca.
Tiara Licsi helped power the Spartans
women’s team to an undefeated
regular season and was selected to
the All Manitoban Women’s team.
Tiara’s coach, Mike Tan, was also
named Coach of the Year for the
women’s side.
However, it was another Sisler
Spartan that led the charge for
Filipinos at the Basketball Manitoba

Awards banquet. Joseph Medrano
was awarded with the prestigious
AAAA Player of the Year in his final
year of high school basketball. The
combo guard helped lead the Spartans
to another semi-final appearance at
the Provincials.
Medrano first started playing
basketball
competitively
like
any young Filipino in the WAAY
basketball league. He tasted early
success in his first year of high school
basketball helping the Sisler squad
to the Provincial title. But it was the
agony of defeat the following year in
the first round to MBCI that helped
him realize he had to get better.
“We lost so early, it kind of
hurt,” Medrano said. “I had to
do something to step my game up
because I didn’t want this to continue
to happen.”
In his Grade 11 year, Medrano
made it a personal mission to become

a better team player. He powered
the Spartans to the Provincial finals
against Garden City but lost in a
heartbreaker. He represented Team
Manitoba at the Canada Games and
earned himself a silver medal. The
experience he gained in such a high
level tournament would pay off in his
final year with Sisler.
After losing in the finals,
Medrano was itching to play the rival
Garden City Gophers on their home
court and it came to fruition in the
Provincial tournament.
Medrano
had a game for the ages dropping 37
points and 9 rebounds that included
9 of 16 from three point range. The
Spartans defeated the Gophers 84-68
but later fell to St. Paul’s in the semifinals.
Basketball is a team game
and Medrano quickly credits
his teammates and coach.
He
acknowledged All Manitoban Denzel

Soliven, his friend since Grade 7, for
helping grow as a teammate. His
coach Scott Martin instilled a team
first mentality that made him better
all around.
“Everyone’s trying to be fancy
with their dribbles, Coach Martin
brings fundamentals in your game,”
Medrano said about his coach for two
years. “All of that is underrated.”
His parents, Jun and Josie
Medrano, have been supportive since
day one and will stand behind their
son in whatever he decides to take on.

“We want him to get a good
education,” Jun said. “If given the
opportunity to play basketball in
university, we will support him,”
Joseph Medrano will graduate
high school this year and enjoy his
summer before he takes on his next
challenge, making the University of
Manitoba Bisons basketball squad
at the Canadian Interuniversity
Sports level. If Medrano’s success
continues into his post-secondary
playing career, look for him spreading
out defenses and draining it from
downtown in the CIS.

out in style
Adding a deck to your home is a great
way to change your outside living space
and blend your home’s inner spaces
with the great outdoors.
Count on McMunn & Yates to help you develop
the plans and choose the right materials,
complete with helpful suggestions and
friendly encouragement.

DREAM IT. BUILD IT.

Whether it’s a space to entertain
friends, or a cozy setting for
relaxing with family, we can
help you build your
dream deck.

Contractors and home owners both agree
building a deck can dramatically change the
appearance and the functionality of your
living space. By carefully blending custom
design features to the needs and budgets
of individual homeowners,
McMunn & Yates is your destination for
deck building solutions.

CEDARLAST
TREATED
LUMBER

COMPOSITE
DECKING

REGAL
DECK RAILING

Enjoy the freedom with this
low maintenance approach to deck
building.

Spend less time
maintaining your deck
and more time
enjoying it.

With Cedarlast, you’ll
have the warm vibrancy
and beautiful colour of
cedar for years to come.

Regal Aluminum Railing provides
long life, low maintenance solutions
for home and cottages. They look as
good as the day you installed them…
for years.

• No sanding, no painting, no staining.
• With several colours to choose from,
composite decks will coordinate
with your home's exterior decor.
• Ideal for walkways and decks as
decking is splinter free.
• Environmentally-friendly
composite decking is made from
recycled materials.

Now all your purchases at Safeway add up.
Collect 1 AIR MILES® reward mile for every $20* you spend cumulatively during the week
(Sunday to Saturday). Every swipe of your Collector Card with an eligible purchase adds up!
Plus, hundreds of Bonus reward miles each week in store!
* $20 spend on groceries. Some exclusions apply, see Customer Service for complete details. ®TM Trademarks of AIR MILES International Trading B.V. Used under license by LoyaltyOne, Co. and Safeway.

Let's get social

99
lb
15.41/kg

2

99
ea.

Raspberries
Product of U.S.A.
170 g.

ea.

Delissio Rising Crust
Frozen Pizza

Assorted varieties. 519 to 888 g. LIMIT
FOUR - Combined varieties.

LIMITEd TIME OFFER! April 4th – MAy 8th

EArn up to 10¢/litrE
in FuEl rEWArDS
At SAFEWAy!

Limit one discount per transaction. Limit one vehicle per discount. Limit 100 litres per discount.
Coupon has no cash value. Coupon invalid if copied or duplicated. *See Customer Service for complete details.

FilipinoJournal. com

R
YOU R
K ON YOU
LOO T FOR Rd!
IP
A
E
REC EL REW
FU

22

The Pulse of the Filipino Community since 1987

Wowie de Guzman comes to terms with wife’s
untimely demise

Former Universal Motion
Dancers member Wowie De
Guzman is still unsure of what
actually happened that caused the
untimely death of his wife.

Sheryl Ann Reyes, 26, whom
he married in July 2013, passed
away Saturday night, just a month
after giving birth to their only
child Alexandra Rafael.

Ryzza’s birthday wish for Bossing Vic
Co-hosts and staff including
Ryzza Mae Dizon surprised Vic
Sotto during the celebration of his
60th birthday last Sunday, April
28 at “Eat Bulaga!”
An emotional Ryzza gifted
Bossing Vic with a collation of
“awards” consisting of “Best
Daddy, Best TV Host, Best

The
37-year-old
actordancer shared that his wife’s
blood pressure was erratic during
her pregnancy. The condition
persisted until she gave birth to
their daughter in March. Wowie
recalled that she rushed her to the
hospital after she suffered from
seizure but the doctors were not
able to revive her. Although still
in pain, Wowie is slowly coming
to terms with the loss saying that
God allowed it to happen for a
reason.
The remains lie at the United
Church of Christ in Sta. Catalina,
Lubao, Pampanga. Interment is
still to be scheduled .

All photos & articles available online!

May 5-20, 2014

FilipinoJournal. com

Bossing, Best Comedian, and
Best Actor.” The child star also
said she wished Bossing will live
his life long up to 300 years old.
Meanwhile, the Sotto family
together with Vic’s girlfriend
Pauleen Luna organized an
intimate birthday celebration for
the actor-host.

May 5-20, 2014

The Pulse of the Filipino Community since 1987

Let's get social

FilipinoJournal. com

23

24

The Pulse of the Filipino Community since 1987

May 5-20, 2014

Gab’s ‘super selfies’ noticed by
international community

Gab Valenciano’s “super selfies”
have caught the attention of
several international news sites
and TV shows, including The
Huffington Post and CBS’ “Good
Morning America.”
According to Gab, a “super
selfie” is a short video showing
his dancing skills combined
with wacky antics. His clips in
YouTube now have over 66,000
subscribers. His most popular
videos, “Tune Squad” and “Father
and Son” (which features his
father, singer Gary Valenciano)
have so far registered over 1.9

All photos & articles available online!

FilipinoJournal. com

million and 1.7 million hits.
His recent “super selfie,” titled
“Loose Yourself” impressed CBS
News Los Angeles.
Gab’s proficiency in video
and music editing allow him to
shoot the videos, edit them and
remix the music. Recently, Gab
auditioned for the coming ninth
season of the reality talent search
“America’s Got Talent (AGT),”
which premieres on May 27.
The 25-year-old Gab is in the
United States taking up Recording
Arts at the Full Sail University in
Florida,

May 5-20, 2014

The Pulse of the Filipino Community since 1987

Let's get social

FilipinoJournal. com

27
25

Join the Filipino Journal Fan Page today!

Follow us on

www.facebook.com/FilipinoJournal

We're on Twitter!

Follow us on Twitter and we'll follow you right back!

www.twitter.com/FilipinoJournal

26

The Pulse of the Filipino Community since 1987

All photos & articles available online!

FilipinoJournal. com

May 5-20, 2014

May 5-20, 2014

The Pulse of the Filipino Community since 1987

Let's get social

FilipinoJournal. com

27
27

28

The Pulse of the Filipino Community since 1987

May 5-20, 2014

Fhamathou: A Pride of Pinoy
Musikero of Winnipeg
by: Alfie Vera Mella

Formed in Winnipeg as early
as 2006, Fhamathou currently
consists of Jason Paredes (guitar,
vocals), Rod Dizon (bass, vocals),
and Danny Lizardo (drums,
vocals). They cite as their main
influences many ’90s-originating
Philippine Alternative Rock
bands, like Eraserheads, Yano,
Teeth, Siakol, Parokya ni Edgar,
and Balahibumpooza; but they
cover also Classic Rock acts such
as Eric Clapton and Creedence
Clearwater Revival. Not content
with only performing other artists’
songs, they started to write their
own materials. Some of these,
written primarily by Paredes, are
“Chatroom,” “Sinayang Mo,”
“Bakit Pa?”, “Asahan Mo,”
“Pagbabago,” “Iisa Lamang,”
“Ika’y Babalik,” and “Naririto
Ako.” Paredes’s lyricism revolves
usually around life, love, and
relationships.
Fhamathou’s first-ever gig
was in 2006 at a concert dubbed
as F.A.M.O.U.S. Tugtugan 2006,
held at Philippine Canadian

Centre of Manitoba, which
featured also other local Filipino
bands. In the years that followed,
the three-piece has regularly
participated in many causeoriented concerts that showcased
the talents of Winnipeg-based
Filipino musicians. They have
already performed at venues like
Charlee’s Restaurant & Lounge
(185 Stadacona St.) and Jimel’s
International Cuisine (1045 St.
James St.). They were also one
of the opening acts at the concert
of The Youth, Dong Abay (Yano),
and Glenn Jacinto (Teeth) in
Winnipeg late last year billed as
Rock Nation Tour.
Paredes is also one of the
leaders of Winnipeg’s association
of Filipino musicians. He also
produces concerts for both local
and Philippines-based bands
and artists. Acts that he already
brought to Winnipeg include
Siakol, Parokya ni Edgar, True
Faith, Pupil, The Youth, Dong
Abay, and Glenn Jacinto.

Aside from performing
with his band and producing
concerts, Paredes also manages a
home recording studio equipped
with quality instruments. So,
to bands and even aspiring
songwriters who want to record
proper versions of their songs,
they may contact Paredes via his
website: http://www.jaizendesign.
com. The studio boasts also
of a competent sound mixing
engineer, Dexter Panlilio, former
keyboardist of the Philippine
Rock band Orient Pearl, who with
his family has long been living in
Winnipeg. Check out Panlilio’s
website:
www.tinigpinoy.net,

All photos & articles available online!

where he plays Filipino music
every Saturday, from 9 p.m. to
midnight.
Asked if there’s anything
he would like to say to the
community in Winnipeg, Jason
said, “Let’s keep the Filipino
music scene in Winnipeg alive by
supporting local music. To fellow
artists, keep playing music and
write original songs. I also like
to invite fellow musicians to join
Pinoy Musikero of Winnipeg on
Facebook.”
*Fhamathou is derived from
the Filipino word památò. It is
a term used in many traditional
Filipino children’s playground

FilipinoJournal. com

games like tumbang preso, larong
holen, and pikô. Památò (or
“shooter” in English) is an object
used by players in the said games.
In tumbang preso, players use
slippers as their památò in hitting
the can; in larong holen, the
památò is the marble—the object
that each player has to shoot
into the dug holes; in pikô, the
památò may be a piece of broken
ceramic or a strip of banana peel.
The word památò is also closely
related to another Filipino word—
pambátò—which may translate to
“a representative, leader, or pride
of a group or team.”

May 5-20, 2014

PEREZCOPE
by Perry Diaz
PerryDiaz@gmail.com

T

29

The Pulse of the Filipino Community since 1987

wenty-eight years after
the EDSA people power
revolution and 23 years
after the Philippine Senate
kicked the U.S. bases out of
the Philippines, the Americans
are back at the request of the
Philippine government. Why?
The toppling of the Marcos
dictatorship in 1986 whipped up
nationalistic fervor among the
new intelligentsia who saw an
opportunity to create a society
free of foreign influence and
interference. It was a period
of unbridled nationalism that
blamed the malaise of the past on
America’s perceived meddling in
the Philippines’ national affairs.
It did not then come as a
surprise that the 1987 Constitution
was crafted to prohibit foreign
military bases on Philippine soil.
Article XVIII, Section 25, of
the new constitution states that
“foreign military bases, troops,
or facilities shall not be allowed
in the Philippines except under
a treaty duly concurred in by the
Senate and, when the Congress
so requires, ratified by a majority
of the votes cast by the people in
a national referendum held for
that purpose, and recognized as
a treaty by the other contracting
State.”
In 1991, twelve senators
voted 12-11 to reject the
extension of the US-Philippines
Military Bases Agreement. The
vainglorious senators – who called
themselves, the Magnificent 12 –
justified their vote by claiming

that the treaty was favorable to
the U.S. but not to the Philippines.
The following year, the U.S. bases
were closed.
Chinese aggression
Two years after the closure
of the U.S. bases in 1992, China
seized the Panganiban Reef
(Mischief Reef) in the middle
of the night. And the Philippine
Armed Forces couldn’t do
anything to take it back.
In the past three years,
China aggressively pursued her
territorial claim to about 80% of
the South China Sea including the
Spratly archipelago. In 2012, she
took possession of Panatag Shoal
(Scarborough Shoal).
That didn’t bode well with
President Benigno Aquino III,
who, ultimately would bear a
stigma of guilt should he fail to
do something to deter Chinese
aggression.
While the U.S.Philippine Mutual Defense Treaty
(MDT) is still in effect, there is no
ironclad guarantee that America
would come to the Philippines’
aid in a timely fashion.
Recently, China attempted to
take possession of Ayungin Shoal,
which is only 105 nautical miles
from the coast of Palawan and
within the Philippines’ 200-mile
Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
But what deterred the Chinese
from taking over the uninhabited
but strategically located shoal was
a small detachment of Philippine
marines deployed to a rusty naval
ship, the BRP Sierra Madre,
which lay aground off Ayungin.

From EDSA to EDCA

Consequently,
China
made several diplomatic efforts
to pressure the Philippine
government
into
removing
Sierra Madre from the vicinity,
claiming that China has absolute
and indisputable sovereignty
over Ayungin and the rest of the
Spratlys including the proven oiland gas-rich Recto Bank. But
with a navy with no warships and
an air force with no warplanes, the
Philippines is defenseless against
Chinese attack.
EDCA
The signing of the Enhanced
Defense Cooperation Agreement
(EDCA) last April 28, 2014 came
at a time when China was poised
to strike at the Spratly islands.
Signed hours before U.S. President
Barack Obama arrived in Manila,
EDCA will give American forces
temporary access to selected
Philippine military bases, and
allow them to preposition fighter
jets and ships.
The question is: How
significant is EDCA to the overall
rebalancing of U.S. naval and air
forces in the Asia-Pacific region?
To answer that question, one has
to be cognizant of China’s goal of
controlling the First Island Chain
and Second Island Chain. The
First Island Chain runs from Japan
all the way to Vietnam by way
of Taiwan, Philippines, Borneo,
Malaysia, and Singapore. The
Second Island Chain runs from
Japan all the way to Australia
by way of the U.S. territories of
Guam and Saipan, and Papua New
Guinea.
China Dream
In an article titled, “China
to take Second Island Chain by
2020,” published last year in the

Want China Times, it said: “In
1982, Admiral Liu Huaqing, the
former commander of the PLA
Navy and the mastermind of
China’s modern naval strategy,
said that it would be necessary
for China to control the First and
Second Island Chains by 2010
and 2020. The PLA Navy must be
ready to challenge US domination
over the Western Pacific and the
Indian Ocean in 2040. If China
is able to dominate the Second
Island Chain seven years from
now, the East China Sea will
become the backyard of the PLA
Navy.”
Prior to the signing of EDCA,
the Philippines was the weakest

link in the First Island Chain. Not
anymore. EDCA strengthened the
chain link; thus, containing China
to the confines of East China and
South China Seas.
Obama’s four-nation Asian
tour to Japan, South Korea,
Malaysia, and the Philippines
plays an important part in
maintaining the status quo and
balance of power in the AsiaPacific Region. China should
realize that she couldn’t – and
shouldn’t -- bully her neighbors
into submission for as long as
America remains a Pacific power.
It was a long journey from
EDSA to EDCA indeed. But it
was a journey worth taking.

OPINIONS
Let's get social

FilipinoJournal. com

30

The Pulse of the Filipino Community since 1987

May 5-20, 2014

Horoscope
You’ll be blessed with your financial sector. You may
experience one or two ups and downs in the process, but you’ll
appreciate why this was necessary further down the line. Later,
your sign enhance romance in a bright and passionate way.

A new friend may make a positive contribution to your
life ahead. It’s also possible that you’ll need to make a key
decision to unlock the creative possibilities in a partnership.
Mingling with other business folk on your wavelength could
bring new opportunities your way.

Dynamic tension still exists in key areas of your life. Brings
the opportunity to stabilize your thinking and start planning.
You could generate opportunities for a positive business
partnership or profitable deal. Although this might not happen
right away, it’s a good time to explore your options.

This is a powerful time to make a difference for anyone in
a service-oriented or humanitarian career. Those with a more
imaginative nature may have trouble staying organized. Avoid
blaming yourself for disappointing outcomes. Simply keep
doing your best.

Big news for you in your sign brings the promise of positive
change your way. You might need to part company with
situations and, in some cases, relationships that no longer
serve you. The upside of this is that you’ll have plenty of
space for all the new and exciting things coming your way. On
another note, romance has a spicy, pleasantly intense quality.

Positive opportunities in your career sector bring a chance for
profitable assignments and prosperous connections. Along
with this, a desire to explore new options may be offset by a
need to get your bearings. Recent dynamic activity may have
left you feeling a little shell-shocked. Get a chance to assess
your priorities and make a plan that can help you establish
ahead in the coming months.

Perhaps there will be good news from a romance or business
partner concerning positive financial gains. If you’re in an
unstable situation, you may be looking for more security,
which might prompt changes to a key partnership. If your
relationship is largely positive, you can work through this and
come out stronger.

The idea that you must make or can’t avoid making a change
can come as quite a shock. Slow down when uncertain.
Making a work friendship into something more could bring
complications you haven’t considered. Family responsibilities
could demand compromises at work. Do your best with any
limitations you face. Careful work now helps build for the
future.

Dreams may be physically powerful and contain important
guidance for you. Keep a notebook and pencil by your bed
and write down any particularly insightful musing that come
your way. This can be good for meditation and, in particular,
spiritual practices or other body-based disciplines that can
help you feel centered and poised. It’s time for some exciting
love adventures!

While money matters still need careful handling, you’ll do
best when you take time to balance your accounts and cover
all your bases. Along with this, you consider travel or study
plans, both of which may benefit you further down the line.

There’s also positive news on the work front, as changes
could mean a boost in earnings or a promotion. If you’ve been
applying for a new job, you might get some good news. Later,
as pleasure opportunities look much livelier. Enjoy a few
social outings. It might help take your mind off more pressing
matters!

PAHALANG

It might be a good idea to sort out priorities and plan ahead for
future success. There is a very gainful energy to commitments
and interactions. This is your chance to forge ahead while
enhancing your money luck.

PABABA

2013

ST# 433478

MAZDA 2 GX
$17,406.00

2014 MAZDA 3 GX SEDAN
ST# 434183

$122
BI-WEEKLY LEASE

RISK-FREE CAR BUYING... WE GUARANTEE IT!

3690 Portage Avenue Just East of the Perimeter

204-885-2623 CrownMazda.ca

Sudoku Puzzles are games of patience, numbers and genius! The
satisfaction of solving a challenging Sudoku Puzzle is one of the greatest
accomplishments any sudoku game player can experience.
Here is the puzzle. Good luck!

Solutions for Palaisipan & Sudoku will be posted online

www.FilipinoJournal.com

TheDilawriGroup.ca

Lease payments are based on 60 Mth lease with $0.00 down and payments are plus Frt and taxes. 2014 Mazda 3’s @ 2.49%.
2013 Mazda 2 cash price is plus Frt and taxes. Don’t have cash to purchase the 2013’s no worries we can ﬁnance the purchase @ a super low rate!

All photos & articles available online!

FilipinoJournal. com

May 5-20, 2014

O

ne of the things about
being in a public practice
firm is seeing the different
ways that people go about earning
a living. In our practice we have
a number of small to medium
size businesses, which are the
driving force of the Canadian
economy. Surveys, year after year,
show more jobs created by these
companies than by the big national
and international corporations.
As well, these companies are
often the most innovative. Large
corporations often buy up the small
companies in order to get new
ideas. One need only look at the
recent acquisitions of relatively
new IT start ups by Google,
Microsoft and others.
Unfortunately, small and
medium businesses can find
themselves at a disadvantage.
Governments like the headlines
that show some big corporation
is opening a new factory or even
just staying put. This might be the
headline, even if there had been
a net loss in jobs and the factory
may have employed more people
previously. And to add insult to
injury, a government loan or subsidy
in the billions may have been made
to induce the corporation to come
or stay.
Meanwhile small companies
may have a hard time attracting
talented people because they

31

The Pulse of the Filipino Community since 1987

can’t offer the benefit packages of
large corporations. Medical costs
continue to rise and it is difficult
and expensive for small businesses
to acquire benefit packages. When
I started my business over thirty
years ago, I seldom saw a claim for
a medical deduction, but now with
annual premiums of around one
thousand dollars and increasing
costs for pharmaceuticals and other
medical services, a medical claim
on a tax return is a very common
occurrence. The people who are
making the claims are those who
can afford the higher cost, even
if it might be difficult. Many
individuals now cannot afford to
pay. Recent news indicates that
one third of prescriptions are not
filled because of the cost.
There are two problems that
I can see with the tax treatment
for medical expenses. First of all,
before making a claim, the costs
must exceed the lessor 3% of net
income or $2,109 in taxation year
2013; there is no claim available if
one is not taxable. Therefore, there
is no taxable deduction if you are
poor, although you may qualify
for pharmacare in some provinces.
Second, the wealthier you are,
the larger your relative potential
benefit. This benefit makes the
ability of larger firms to attract
employees easier, as they will have
lower costs because of a larger staff

and economies of scale.
It
seems
strange
that
governments would assist larger
corporations, which create fewer
jobs, by subsidizing them directly
with loans and grants. Plus, the tax
system is organized to provide an
additional advantage.
I have a couple of ideas
and would welcome any other
suggestions for discussion. Group
buying by the government(s) of
pharmaceuticals would reduce
overall costs for everyone.
Pharmaceutical companies would
be able to compete and bid to
supply Canadians. A deduction
for medical should either be
removed or the percentage should
be the same for everyone or better
yet made a refundable claim.
Medicare coverage should be more
comprehensive, so small companies
would have the same advantages as
large corporations. Lee Iococca
said many years ago that health care
in Canada was an advantage that
made each car thousands of dollars
cheaper to manufacture in Canada.
Why not assist the entire economy
to be more competitive?
Terry Robert
B.A., C.M.A.,
C.G.A.
Robert Accounting LLP
Certified General Accountants
accountants.mb.ca
Please note that this column deals
with details and circumstances
in a general way and comments
are meant solely as a guide. For
your protection, a professional
accountant is recommended and
should be consulted before making
any decisions regarding anything
discussed in this column.

“There’s nothing more fun than being
able to shoot your friends.”
Bianca Pengelly, Manitoba’s
Regional Coordinator with the
Canadian Liver Foundation, isn’t a
proponent of violent activity in our
city. She’s promoting an upcoming
charitable Airsoft tournament at
Xtreme Tactics to raise money for
crucial patient support and research
funding.
A large population in Winnipeg
lives day-to-day suffering from
liver disease. Such diseases are also
prominent in the Filipino population.
As of 2011, hepatitis B (known as the
silent infection) affects approximately
16 million people in the Philippines,

and 3.48 million Filipinos are also
living with hepatitis C.
Xtreme Tactics recently held
an event to fundraise for Typhoon
Haiyan relief efforts. They will be
donating their services towards the
upcoming Canadian Liver Foundation
tournament.
“This is the first time that
the Canadian Liver Foundation
will be doing this type of event,”
said Pengelly. “I have a personal
relationship with the gentleman who
owns the place. He had suggested it,
and he’s very big on helping out.”
Pengelly enjoys investing her
time and energy into the Foundation
– and not just because it’s her job.

“I myself was diagnosed with
liver disease when I was a child. I
had a liver transplant when I was an
infant. I started volunteering with our
chapter a couple years ago, because
I simply wanted to be a part of it. I
wanted to give back to what was
given to me. This is my dream job.”
Pengelly is also handcrafting
bracelets made out of parachute
cord to raise additional funds for the
organization. The paracord bracelets
will be made in blue and yellow to
represent liver disease. Each bracelet
will cost $10.00, and will be available
at the tournament and Foundation
office (210-375 York Ave. – RBC
Convention Centre).

Bianca Pengelly and a volunteer at the annual Stroll for Liver.

Airsoft Tournament in support of
the Canadian Liver Foundation
Sunday, May 18, 2014
Game 1: 7 p.m.
Game 2: 8 p.m.
Interactive target range: 6 p.m. – 10 p.m.
Admission: $20 (with own equipment)
If you do not have your own equipment, please visit
xtreme-tactics.com for equipment rental rates
If you haven’t played Airsoft before, please show up one hour
early for a safety briefing. If you are 16 or 17, your parents
much accompany you to sign a waiver form. Raffle prizes will
also be available to win at the tournament.

Justin Sugita (XT staff member)

All photos & articles available online!

Ian Falk (XT staff member) and Gord Lai (Manager of XT)

FilipinoJournal. com

May 5-20, 2014

The Pulse of the Filipino Community since 1987

33

Get Pin-spired!
A pinay’s guide to planning your big day

T

he modern day bride has
come to use Pinterest for a
plethora of purposes. This
useful (though, often time-sucking)
social network has thousands of
different ideas on reusing mason
jars, building your own photo
booths, and planning your big day
on a tight budget.
If you have yet to discover the
joys of being Pin-spired, there's still
hope. Take in these few pieces of
advice and you'll be well on your
way to becoming the ultimate DIY
bride.
Pick a theme.
This is your best starting
point. You can choose from a wide
array of themes, ranging from
sophisticated chic to relaxed beach
bum. Pinterest has also recently
added some sophisticated keyword
searching functionality to help pull

relevant and related categories.
What’s neat is that once you start
building boards with overhanging
themes, the “Explore Interests”
menu will intelligently identify
these categories for you.
You can DIY it!
Pinterest’s greatest strength
is its repertoire of do-it-yourself
tutorials for just about anything
under the sun. This is especially
useful if you're going for a fun or
rustic look. Your options aren't
limited, however - you'll also find
some great articles on budgeting and
organizing for your wedding day.
Have a dress in mind?
There are plenty of elegant,
over-the-top and unique examples to
pull from this website. I recommend
picking a few distinct styles and
bringing them to the bridal salons
during your dress hunt.

Let's get social

One warning: don't stick to a
very specific style in your mind,
or look for a carbon copy of what
you've Pinned. Use these examples
as loose inspiration, as oftentimes
you'll never find a duplicate dress
in our market (we're often a few
seasons behind and some Pins are
rare designer pieces).

Get fit and fabulous.
Beyond the conventional
wedding-related Pinterest uses,
there are many other great resources
on the network to help you prepare
for your walk down the aisle.
More specifically, if you plan on
shedding a few pounds to fit in your
ideal dress, you’ll find fitness tips
aplenty. You can use the “Health &
Fitness” section to pull up calorie-

FilipinoJournal. com

aware recipes, workout regimens
and wedding-specific moves to
help sculpt problem areas (like your
arms, back, waist).
And there you have it. These
are just a few ideas to get you started
with one of the most powerful
wedding resources on the internet.
Happy Pinning, and don't forget to
start building pin boards to house all
your inspiring wedding ideas!

34

The Pulse of the Filipino Community since 1987

May 5-20, 2014

Overwhelmed by outpouring response, AIM plans
more charitable missions in the Philippines
how beautiful the smiles of the
children, how tight the hugs of our
kababayans," Myra added. " And
also, we have to thank our sponsors
for their donations."
AIM raised Ph400,000 in cash
and many boxes of goods shipped
to the Philippines; and during their
missions, extra money was needed.
"When the people saw that Mario
had money, they ran after him and
asked for more, and sometimes
our group members would give
Ph2,000,
sometimes
Ph500,”
Myra said. Pure Gold Supermarket

handled the individual packaging of
their donations. This is AIM’s 5th
charitable mission in the Philippines.
AIM officers and members will
go further to engage in the charitable
missions in the Philippines, so, they
have started gathering toys, goods
and last April 5, 2014 fund raising
event, AIM was able to raise $7,000
which will be used to build a chapel
in Santo Tomas, Batangas.
Association of Ilocanos in
Manitoba (AIM) has aimed higher to
share what we have, the blessings we
receive in Winnipeg.

Crowd of people waiting for the food and
goods to be distributed.

Welcome event for the 4 Winnipeg couples.

Souvenir group picture to celebrate AIM’s
mission to the Philippines.

The ladies, Remy Amoyo, Myra Rosario,
Chie Ominga and Vivian David find
time to relax.

The Winnipeg couples, Jun and Vivian David, Romy and Chie Ominga, Mario and Myra Rosario, and Danny and Remy Amoyo pose for
a souvenir photo with the recipients of AIM’s charitable mission.

"The essence of giving to the less
fortunate is the most unforgetable
experience we had in our charity
mission in the Philippines; to see the
smiles of the children, and to feel the
tight hugs of the recipients would
give you too much satisfactions,
more than thanks we received," Myra
Rosario said, 1st. vice-president,
Association of Ilocanos in Manitoba
(AIM).
Myra Rosario, together with her
husband, Mario Rosario, immediate
president of AIM; AIM president
Romy Ominga and his wife, Chie,
asst. auditor; Danny and Remy
Amoyo, 2nd vice president and
treasurer respectively; and Jun and
Vivian David, owners/proprietors of
Juvian Restaurant in Notre Dame and
McPhilips Station Casino, arrived

after a three-week charity mission in
the Philippines.
The four couples who left for
the Philippines to distribute goods
and donate money to the town Santo
Tomas, Batangas; Baler, Aurora; and
in the Ilocos Region. at the height of
frigid winter last January, being the
5th year of AIM's charitable mission.
The Omingas, the Rosarios and the
Davids experienced first face to face
encounter with our less fortunate
kababayans. The Amoyos had been
in this mission for many times.
Myra Rosario added: "Our
newly-found friends told us that we
are the only group who gave so much
without asking any favours."
"We are blessed in this adopted
country and we have to share with our
kababayans the blessing what we are

receiving, and that was we had done
when we went to the Philppines,"
Chie Ominga said.
"Jun and I had been moved to
tears when we encountered those who
received our gifts and money, and
being our first time to engage with
those less fortunate, we thought of
how lucky we are in Canada, and that
most of the time, we do not appreciate
what we have in Winnipeg, and we
did not realize that there thousands of
people who need help. And we will
do this again," Vivian David said, as
her husband, Jun David, smiled with
great satisfaction that both of them
volunteered their time and money to
AIM's mission to the Philippines.
"We are encouraging other
officers and members of AIM to go
with us, to experience, first hand,

All photos & articles available online!

Photos by Jun David, one of the members of Winnipeg couples who did charitable
mission in the Philippines.

Kevin Chief, Minister of Children and Youth Opportunities and Minister responsible for the
City of Winnipeg, was joined by Matt Wiebe, MLA for Concordia and Kevin Gibson of Status
4 to announce the second round of intake for the Winnipeg Community Infrastructure
Program. The three-year program provides $7.5 million in grants for projects that will
provide long-term recreational and wellness benefits to communities. Status 4, a nonprofit providing youth with accessible music and media programs, used the program to
improve their facility.

Winnipeggers looking for support to
upgrade or expand public or not-forprofit recreation facilities can apply
for funding from the provincial
government as the second round
of intake begins for a $7.5 million,
three-year program, Children and
Youth Opportunities Minister Kevin
Chief, minister responsible for the
City of Winnipeg, announced today.
“Many Winnipeggers who are
known around the world for their
success in music, sports and cultural
activities got their start in our
community centres, sports fields or
arenas,” said Minister Chief. “We
want to support the volunteers and
community leaders who work to
give our young people opportunities
to discover and grow their talents
and find a sense of belonging in
their neighbourhoods.”
The program will begin
accepting applications today for
projects that will provide long-term
recreational and wellness benefits to
communities. The program provides

grants to support not for profit or
city-owned community recreation
facilities within Winnipeg. Eligible
projects involve rehabilitation,
improvement or expansion of
existing community assets such
as athletic facilities, community
centres, parks and cultural facilities.
Non-profit
community
organizations
and
city-owned
facilities can apply until May 16.
The program provides grants with
no requirement of matching funding
from project proponents.
The minister noted, since the
program launched last year, the
province has committed more than
$3.8 million towards 91 projects that
have helped upgrade community
centres, parks, trails, bike paths,
arenas and gyms in Winnipeg.
More
information
and
grant applications are available
at the Winnipeg Community
Infrastructure Program website at
www.gov.mb.ca/ia/wcip/index.html.

Manitoba Career
Colleges: An Intergral
Part of Canada Job
Grant Implementation
Minister Kenney visits
Winnipeg's Robertson College
With the government of Manitoba
and the federal government signing
the final agreement related to the
Canada Job Grant, career colleges
are gearing up to respond to the
needs of employers.
Employers wishing to take
part in the Canada Job Grant
program will look at post-secondary
institutions able to offer training
programs targeted to their needs.
Career colleges are well positioned
to respond to these needs and already
have partnerships with various
employers in Manitoba.
“Career colleges are an integral
part of the post-secondary education
sector and their innovative and
flexible nature makes them natural

partners for employers wishing to
take part in the Canada Job Grant.
Career colleges across Canada
are demonstrating the success
we can achieve when employers
are directly involved in training
decisions," said Employment
and Social Development and
Multiculturalism Minister Kenney
today during a visit to Robertson
College.
"Career
colleges
work
regularly with employers to train
the employees that they need. The
Canada Job Grant program will
enable more employers to recruit
skilled employees," said Wayne
Palendat, President of the Manitoba
Association of Career Colleges.

Let's get social

FilipinoJournal. com

35

36

The Pulse of the Filipino Community since 1987

MFBC Mission To Manila & Centrallia

O

n April 23, 2014, the
MFBC held a CanadianPhilippines
Trade
Mission Report Event at the Hilton
Winnipeg Airport Suites.
At the event, members and
guests had the opportunity to
learn about the MFBC’s current
and expanding trade mission
initiatives through a presentation
by Darin Hoffman (Owner, Phil
Can Business Synergies Corp.).

He was also formally announced
as the new MFBC Trade Mission
Chair.
Members and guests had the
chance to explore international
trade
opportunities
through
initiatives presented by the World
Trade Centre Winnipeg, Derek
Earl (Director, International
Trade) and Alberto Velasco
(Project Manager).

For those interested in
discovering more opportunities
for international business, please
visit: wtcwinnipeg.com.
The MFBC would like to
send a special thank you to the
World Trade Centre Winnipeg
and our event photographer, Jason
Abraham Photography.

Jon Reyes and Alberto Velasco

May 5-20, 2014

Member Profile:

Todd Labelle
Todd Labelle works at Avison
Young. He is a commercial real
estate agent, and has worked in
the industry for the last eight
years. The last four years have
been dedicated to commercial
real estate. He enjoys working
in real estate because it gives
him the opportunity to be
creative in finding solutions for
his clients.
Beyond
the
MFBC,
Todd is a member of BNI
Trailblazers. Him and his wife
are also producers. When his
wife moved here from the
Philippines, he realized there
was a shortage of activities
to do that could help with her
homesickness. Therefore, he
recently arranged a successful
show called 4 DA LAFFS
starring Pokwang, K Brosas,
Chokoleit and Pooh.
Why did Todd join the
MFBC? “I joined the MFBC
to connect with the Filipino

community. It is very strong
and growing and I wanted to
be able to be part of it. There
are so many great businesses
out there and more coming.
I want to help entrepreneurs
looking to cater to the Filipino
community.”

catering to a broad Filipino
audience. They started hosting
events last year, and have had
great success since.
Katya earned her B.Sc in
Biology in the Philippines, and
has eight years of experience
in the call centre industry. She
is currently a partner in Todd
Labelle Promotions.
Katya joined the MFBC
two years ago. What motivates
her? “I love being a member
of the MFBC because it gives
me the opportunity to meet and
connect with other Filipino
business people.”
Her main focus now is
to bring entertainment to her
The name of Todd and fellow kababayan by making
Katya’s company is Todd them smile and feel good
Labelle
Promotions.
It’s inside.
an entertainment company

FilipinoJournal. com

May 5-20, 2014

The Pulse of the Filipino Community since 1987

Let's get social

FilipinoJournal. com

37

38

The Pulse of the Filipino Community since 1987

The Republic of Adobo
by Rod E. Cantiveros

Crisanta Noble, a 32 year old,
is all smiles as she pours newly
brewed coffee to a customer and
says: “Fresh coffee for you.”
Alex Santos, a 20-year old single
accepts an order for a hamburger
and softdrink from a Filipino
customer: “Parang Pinas kami dito,
halos lahat Pinoy.” (It is almost
like Philippiines, most of us are
Filipinos working here.”)
These two Filipinos, not their
real names, have been working
at the two famous franchise
restaurants less than two years;
and thru their smiles, their way
of welcoming and serving the
customers, have all the winnings
ways, truly great employees in
a food industry in Edmonton,
making them as the most adaptable
employees in the food industry,
but, both of them are temporary
workers in Canada. And their the
lives of their families have changed
for the better.
“Tamo, iyang si Nanang
Bibay nakabili na ng kotse,
aba, ang dalawang anak niya’y
nagtratrabaho sa McDo sa
Edmonton.” said by her neighbor
in a suburbs of Manila. (Look at
Nanay Bibay, she was able to buy
a car due to her two sons working
in McDo in Edmonton.”)
But lately, Crisanta and
Alex’s friends and relatives in
Manila are facing a bleak future
to work in Canada as temporary
workers, a stressful news for
those who have been waiting
for approval, and a sense of
unreallized dreams for applicants
who want to help their families
from the economic hardships in a
politically embedded economy in
the Philippines, a country where
politics define the social and
economic status, pardon my punt,
due to the congenitalcorruption of
the majority of our appointed and

elected public officials. (Even
those “ghost employees” who
collect their salaries every the
15th and 30th of the month,are
protected by elected officials.)
The action of Jason Kenny,
Federal Minister of Employment,
against the reported abuses of
the Federal Temporary Workers
Program, resulted
to many
anxieties among the prospective
temporary workers in the
Philippines.
Program, resulted to many
anxieties among the prospective
temporary workers in the
Philippines.
Furthermore, the moratorium
also hurts the bottom lines of some
restaurant owners: “ We have to
shut down some of our hours of
operation, we have had too much
turnover of Canadian workers,
they want to work in the offices
and in the oilsands,” one of the
employers said.”Most of them
do not want to work in various
shifts.”
“This is unfair for those
who have qualified to work
as temporary workers here in
Canada, they deserved respect.”
said by one of our kababayans.
“Best workers naman ang mga
Pinoy.” (Filipinos are the best
workers.)
But the Federal Temporary
Worker Program has many critics
and lately these crtics are very
vocal: “These temporary workers
lower our labour standard, they
accept even low wages, just to
get out from their poverty in their
countries,” extolled by one of
the union leaders in the Western
Canada.
And from a certain Martin
Collacott, secretary of the Centre
for Immigration Policy Reform in
Vancouver, as the National Post
reported, he said: “Canadians are

well aware that there are already
large number of people in the
country who are unemployed and
prepared to work for reasonable
wages. These include unemployed
youth,
aboriginals,
recent
immigrants and people laid off from
the manufacturing industry. Public
opinion is therefore, increasingly
in favour of a drastic reduction in
the temporary worker program.
The sooner the government takes
action on this, the better.”
And from the Banks of
Montreal and TD, in their released
studies, widespread labour and
skill shortages were a myth!

All photos & articles available online!

Temporary workers from
some countries serve as one of
the economic engines in any
industry. Look at the Middle East.
so progressive, and yet, employers
accept so many temporalry
workers in the various industries.
And Canada cannot be isolated
from these hard working foreign
workers. Canada needs them and
the abuses by some sectors, as
reported, are isolated!
I do hope these critics will go
to these franchises and pour fresh
coffee and slice a new-heated
bagel! And please smile and have
a happy face while serving, an

FilipinoJournal. com

important quality in the hospitality
industries.
And for Christina and Alex,
their relatives and friends can
wait!
The Filipinos in the fast food
industry have all the smiles while
serving the Canadian public. As
one of the employers say: “The
Filipinos are the best employees.
with fresh smiles
while serving fresh coffee.”
And who can argue with this
statement. Go and ask for a cup of
fresh brewed coffee, and with their
smiles, they have made your day,
great!

#Limited time lease oﬀers based on new 2014 Honda models. Lease examples based on a new 2014 Fit DX, model GE8G2EEX/2014 Civic DX, model FB2E2EEX available through Honda Financial Services on approved credit. £0.99%/1.99% lease APR for 60/60 months. Bi-weekly payment, including
freight and PDI, is $67.00/$85.00. Down payment of $0/$0, environmental fees, $0 security deposit and ﬁrst monthly payment due at lease inception. Total lease obligation is $8,710/$11,050. Taxes, license, insurance, environmental fees and registration are extra. 120,000 kilometre allowance;
charge of $0.12/km for excess kilometres. ‡MSRP is $16,130/$17,185 and includes $1,495 freight and PDI. Oﬀers valid from April 1, 2014 through April 30, 2014 at participating Honda retailers. Oﬀers valid only for Manitoba residents at Honda Dealers of Manitoba locations. Oﬀers subject to
change or cancellation without notice. Visit CrownHonda.ca or WinnipegHonda.ca, or see Crown Honda or Winnipeg Honda for full details.